Silent Bargain
04 Nov 2023Ryuko Ntsikana
Part Twenty
Silent Bargain
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Jason stirred as the noise outside woke him from his slumber. As he opened his eyes, he realized he was still in the ship, on the same patch of deck plating as before. The noise sounded familiar as he raised himself into a sitting position, first looking forward to an empty pilot’s seat and sunlight coming through the cockpit glass, then down the short narrow corridor towards the aft airlock, which was open with its lower ramp leading down from it.
It took him a moment for his mind to catch up with his vision as he remembered that Diamondback Explorer ships had a rear exit, versus a more common front exit on most, but not all, ships. The odd ones out were the passenger ships, which had their exits on the starboard side.
Jason raised himself to a standing position, using his hands to brace himself against the sides of the bulkheads as he tamped his booted feet to get the blood flowing back into them. The feeling of gravity was welcome, as it expedited his efforts.
“When you are done, come join me outside,” that strange voice said from nowhere, as Jason looked around, not finding its source.
Looking down, he could still see his weapons on him, but like last time, he was unable to move his hand down to grab any of them. Jason clenched his fist and pumped his arms, testing that they still worked, then tried to grab one of his weapons again, only for his arms to go limp.
“Cute trick you have there,” Jason said, looking around, only to hear a muffled giggle that seemed to echo around the short corridor as if circling around him with no origin or destination.
“The better trick is in you listening,” the voice said, more inside his head than outside, as the muffled giggle eerily dissolved around him.
Jason took one slow step after another, testing his legs as the feeling returned to them. The sounds and scent were familiar to him as he slowly descended the ramp towards the pilot, who was standing at its base with her back to him.
“You sure are confident to have your back to me,” Jason observed, watching as Zooey lifted her arm to point at a distant object without turning her head to look back at him.
Jason paused as he reached the bottom of the ramp, shock setting in as he realized they were at the pirate base where his crew and their mission had begun. She had brought him back to the hub of his clan, and no one had made a move against her or her ship.
"Your surprise is touching," the voice said, though Jason did not see her lips move.
Normally, an unannounced ship descending to the base would have been intercepted or blasted out of the sky. Had it made it to the ground intact, it would have been engaged by ground personnel, but no one seemed to notice or care they were there. Who was this person, and what kind of bargain had they made?
That disembodied giggle seemed to swirl around in the wind and dissolve within it, raising the hairs on his neck.
“You must have made a once-in-a-lifetime deal to make it down to the surface in one piece,” Jason said, trying not to show his discomfort or any weakness.
Jason turned his head as Zooey continued to point toward a set of containers strewn haphazardly around a nearby landing.
“That would be the latest haul from one of our ships,” Jason said with an air of bravado.
Zooey nodded, looking back at Jason. “Your group appears fruitful enough, if not disorganized.”
Jason’s eyebrows raised as he put his hands on his hips, taking a firm stance. “Profit doesn’t care how you stack it.”
Jason watched in disbelief as Zooey started walking towards the pad. For a moment, he hesitated, wondering if she had a death wish. For an outsider to snoop around another ship’s prize was a quick way to an early end. Although Jason didn’t care if they ended her, he would be seen as guilty by association since he had flown in with her. Out of self-preservation, Jason rushed to stop her.
“If you start messing with another crew’s prize, they will kill both of us!” Jason warned as Zooey continued her casual stroll, looking around as she drew nearer to the containers.
“I am curious about what your kind finds valuable,” Zooey stated, as Jason tried to get in front of her but found himself unable to move as he intended.
The containers varied in size and content, ranging from biowaste to zinc, iridium, manganese, food cartridges for food processing systems, simple water, tea, and other lower-tier goods.
“Are these for sale or personal use?” Zooey asked as Jason looked around nervously.
“Whatever they’re most useful for. Listen, we need to get away from here before we’re spotted.”
Zooey continued walking between the crates, examining them as she went, while nearby slave laborers tried to ignore them, fearing reprisal. Their portly taskmaster did take notice and began moving toward them with heavy-footed, authoritative stomps.
“Hey there, you two. What do you think you’re doing there!”
Zooey ignored the approaching slaver, and as Jason reached out to grab Zooey’s shoulder, his arms went weak before his hand could make contact.
“I’m talking to you!” the man spat, just as Zooey vanished around the corner of a container, leaving Jason to stop short.
“Hey, I tried to warn her,” Jason blurted as the heavyset man shoved him against a container and stomped past, trying to catch up with the woman who had disappeared from view.
Jason knew he’d be guilty by association and contemplated fleeing and taking Zooey’s ship. As the moments passed, his fight-or-flight response was replaced by curiosity, as the usual repercussions for trespassing on another’s claim had not materialized. Slowly, he walked to the edge of the large container, peering around the corner, ready to pull back.
Curiosity turned to confusion as neither Zooey nor the slaver was anywhere to be seen. Cautiously moving forward, he listened for any sound that might betray their location, but the noise of the nearby slaves working, moving other containers, was the only sound he heard. No curses, shouts, yelling, or weapons firing.
Jason caught sight of the two standing several containers away, discussing the apparent contents of the haul around them. The previously angered slaver was gesticulating wildly, boasting with pride over the prizes his wing of fellow pirates had claimed.
Zooey didn’t acknowledge Jason’s approach, but the slaver’s head turned as he walked up to the pair. To his surprise, Jason found he could grab his weapons, but he couldn’t pull his laser pistol from its holster or the vibrating knife from its sheath. The slaver noticed where Jason's hands were but showed no sign of alarm or hostility.
That eerie disembodied giggle swirled around on the wind and then faded again, causing Jason to pause as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up once more.
“Our host here has been recounting the latest prizes,” Zooey said, examining the container in front of her.
A small smile crept onto Zooey's face as Jason shivered with an unnatural chill that crept through his core.